Collating rack



June 27, 1967 r J. R. GUHL ETAL 3,327869 COLLATING RACK Filed June 21,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAY RV sum. BY LEON J. WI'RTH W-VMATTORNEYS June 27, 1967 J. R. GUHL ETAL INVEN JAY R. GUHL Y LEON J.WIRTH United States Patent 3,327,869 COLLATING RACK Jay R. Guhl,Oakland, Calif., and Leon J. Wirth, 988 Market St., San Francisco,Calif. 94102; said Guhl assignor to said Wirth Filed. June 21, 1965,Ser. No. 465,295 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-50) This invention relates to agathering rack and more particularly relates to a heavy-duty gatheringrack.

Gathering racks for collating groups of papers have been long known, butthey are not fully satisfactory. For one thing, such racks arefrequently of flimsy construction, so that they break if they are givenany bending stress. For another thing, such gathering racks ordinarilyhave relatively large wicket members so that they are not suitable foruse if small papers or cards are to be collated.

In accordance with the present invention, a heavy-duty gathering rack-isprovided of strong structure which will withstand bending stresses.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gathering rack havingan intermediate sheet holding member, whereby small cards and the likeas well as large sheets may be collated in the same rack.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gathering rack whereinall of the wicket members are held together by cross members to providea sturdy structure.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention a rack isprovided having a single, center lazy tongs structure which preventsbending as the rack is opened or closed.

Other objects will be apparent from the balance of the specification.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIG- URE 1, showing therack in a folded position.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed end view of a rack embodying the presentinvention showing a holder for a container of a moistener.

FIGURE 4 is a partial view of a rack showing a modification of thestructure.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing another modification.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, there is shown agathering rack having a series of generally rectangular upright membersgenerally designated 7, each of which may be formed from a single pieceof metal thus providing a top 9, sides 11 and 13 and bottom members 15and 17 with the terminal ends turned upright to form stubs 19 and 21.Interior members generally designated 23 are formed of L-shaped membershaving a top 25 and a side 27, the top 25 terminating in a small,down-turned stub 29. A companion interior member generally designated 31is employed, the member 31 being a mirror image of the member 23.

In order to properly space and hold the members, a lazy tongs structureis preferably provided at the center of the rack by means of a flatmember 33 which is placed as shown. The member 33 is joined by a rivet35 between the members 23- and 31, is joined at the center by a rivet 37to the center portion of the members corresponding to 23 and 31 of thenext adjacent section, while the bottom of the member 33 is joined tothe terminal ends of the next adjacent members 31 and 23 by the rivets3-9. It will thus be seen that the lazy tongs structure is provided bythe vertical runs of the members 23 and 31, i.e., member 27 and itsmate, While the opposite leg of the lazy tongs structure is formed bythe member 33, all as is shown in FIGURE 1.

Additional bracing action is provided by the short, flat Patented June27, 1967 members 43 and alternate long members 44 which link the bottomsof members 11 and 13 with the next adjacent section. In the embodimentshown in FIGURE 1, only alternate side members 11 and 13 extend to thebase, so that there is a leg for each section of the collating rack.

The structure having the single lazy tongs at the center is particularlyadvantageous since it yields a strong, yet flexible structure. Rackshaving lazy tongs at each side have a tendency to bind, particularly ifthey are pulled slightly olf center, while a rack having a single lazytong at the center will bend somewhat and not bind.

In the structures shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, not all of the side membersextend to the base and in FIGURE 4 another embodiment of the inventionis shown wherein all of the side members do extend to the base. Thusinstead of using the alternate long and short side members, adjacentside members 57 and 59 are of the same length so that each section ofthe rack extends to the base and is individually supported by thesurface on which the rack is placed. In addition, instead of using thealternate short and long members 43 and 44 as linkage members, all ofthe linkage members as at 61 and as at 63 are of equal length and thusform the lazy tongs structures at each side of the rack. With lazy tongsstructures at each side of the rack, some weight can be eliminated byeliminating the central lazy tong structure and this embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in FIGURE 5. Here the center uprights 65- and67 are not connected to the next adjacent section but the lazy tongaction is that provided by the side members as previously described inconjunction with FIGURE 4.

Handles 47 can be provided at each end of the rack for ease in extendingor compressing it.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the front of the rack isprovided with a holder formed by a plate 49 having in-turned angulargrips 51 which are adapted to grasp the rim 53 of a container for amoistener so that this will be handy when using the collating rack.

It will be seen that the interior L-shaped members 23 and 31 formholders for smaller papers so that the device can be used for collatingsmall cards and the like as well as large sheets. Although the interiormembers preferably form a part of the lazy tongs structure, they can beprovided in other manners. Thus they can be formed of sheet metal, wiresor the like which are riveted, welded or otherwise fastened to theupright members.

Although the upright members preferably include the top portion 9, it isapparent that the top is not essential for stability and can beeliminated, so that the upright members 11 and 13 would not be connectedat their tops.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that we have provided acollating rack of sturdy structure and one which can be used to collateboth large sheets and small cards interchangeably.

We claim:

1. A gathering rack structure comprising a plurality of generallyupright members, said upright members having side members and in-turnedbottom members, said inturned bottom members being riveted together, aplurality of interior members, each of said interior members comprisinga pair of L-shaped structures having top and side members, said sidemembers being riveted together near the centers of said side members andsaid L-shaped structures being turned outwardly with respect to eachother and being riveted to each other near the top and bottom positions,and a plurality of intermediate members each pivotally connected tothree consecutive L-shapecl structure-s whereby said intermediatemembers and said L-shaped structures form a lazy tongs structure andwherein said intermediate members retain small sheets inserted in saidupright members.

2. A gathering rack structure comprising a plurality of generallyrectangular upright members, said upright members having side and topend members and in-turned bottom members, said inturned bottom membersbeing riveted together, a plurality of interior members, each of saidinterior members comprising a pair of L-shaped structures having top andside members, said side members being riveted together near the centersof said side members and said L-shaped structures being turned outwardlywith respect to each other and being riveted to each other near the topand bottom positions, and a plurality of intermediate members eachpivotally connected to three L-shaped structures whereby saidintermediate structures and said L-shaped members form a lazy tongsstructure and wherein said intermediate members retain small sheetsinserted in said upright members.

3. The structure of claim 1 having lazy tongs struc- References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,507,094 9/1924 Schoenborn 2481 1,627,559 5/1927Haul 2l1105 2,310,770 2/ 1943 Evans 21 1.179 2,568,996 9/ 1951 Evans21110 JOHN PET-O, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

1. A GATHERING RACK STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLYUPRIGHT MEMBERS, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS HAVING SIDE MEMBERS AND IN-TURNEDBOTTOM MEMBERS, SAID INTURNED BOTTOM MEMBERS BEING RIVETED TOGETHER, APLURALITY OF INTERIOR MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID INTERIOR MEMBERS COMPRISINGA PAIR OF L-SHAPED STRUCTURES HAVING TOP AND SIDE MEMBERS, SAID SIDEMEMBERS BEING RIVETED TOGETHER NEAR THE CENTERS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS ANDSAID L-SHAPED STRUCTURES BEING TURNED OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO EACHOTHER AND BEING RIVETED TO EACH OTHER NEAR THE TOP AND BOTTOM POSITIONS,AND A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS EACH PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOTHREE CONSECUTIVE L-SHAPED STRUCTURES WHEREBY SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBERSAND SAID L-SHAPED STRUCTURES FORM A LAZY TONGS STRUCTURE AND WHEREINSAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS RETAIN SMALL SHEETS INSERTED IN SAID UPRIGHTMEMBERS.